The Sandbox
by DoctorGogh
Summary: There's more to John Smith's life than a normal job and a slight interest in the garden shop owner. The world is wrong. Tricks and traps are sitting in the corners of this universe, lying in wait for an unsuspecting Doctor. And they're about to make themselves known. Featuring: The Ponds, Clara Oswald, Donna Noble, The Master, Rose Tyler and the Eleventh Doctor.
1. Ladies Man

The Sandbox

Chapter One: Ladies Man

The light of day shone in through the bare window. Streams of light stretched across the floorboards and bed. A figure laid hazardously across the white sheets, tangled in a mess worse than the hair on his head. The pale skin of his naked back almost glowed in the sunlight as the dreamer breathed deeply. John Smith'd been up late again, working on a project that was neither here nor there. It was simply supposed to occupy his time, and mind. Which it most certainly had done, and well. He had been up to an ungodly hour that he knew he'd regret in the morning. And as the alarm clock beside his bed blared into the silence of morning, he knew he'd been right.

John groaned and rolled over as he covered his head with his pillow. Of course, that didn't stop the blaring of the alarm. He sighed, all the air escaping his body in a rush. John hated that alarm clock. He'd never needed one, not for years. She had always been his alarm clock. Bringing him tea in the morning, lightly opening the drapes and stroking back his floppy fringe.

John stood up on the bed immediately and stumbled to the edge. He slammed his hand down in the relative area of the alarm. Swore. Then opened his eyes and made sure he actually hit the damn thing that time. He did and was promptly blinded by the sunlight from outside. She'd taken the blinds. No — he'd taken them, and thrown them in the trash. Then he'd proceeded to do the same to all the carpets and rugs. Hardwood flooring only. That was his motto now. Nothing domestic. Domestic would simply not do. John covered his eyes to keep out the sun, but all it really did was help him fall off the bed. A dull _thud_ could be heard throughout the apartment. Not a good day. John thought, not a good day at all.

After he showered, things seemed to look up a bit. He whistled as he went about the cluttered apartment. That was definitely a pro since the divorce. Before he hadn't even been allowed to dabble in the machines around the house or try to make improvements. She'd always nagged him when he tried to be inventive. Said it was closer to destructive. "Blow up one microwave." John mumbled to himself as he looked through the mail.

Not a single letter from her. Not even a postcard. He sighed as he leaned against the counter. His eyes wandered to the left, to the picture frame that sat on the table by the entrance to the apartment. She really had been beautiful, hadn't she? Gorgeous blonde hair, perfect complexion. Everything about her had been perfect. He'd been the problem. He knew it, he wouldn't deny it. And despite how much he missed his ex-wife everyday, John Smith knew he would also never regret it.

He'd almost died. About a year back there'd been an accident in a building he'd been touring for his company. They were looking into investing some projects when some pipe's had burst and almost flooded the entire basement, with John in it. Donna had saved him, just in time too. A near death experience does something to you. Something John himself hadn't understood, but he felt like he'd woken up. Dogmatic slumber behind and new horizons ahead.

At first, John had just begun inventing again. Which the wife of course hated. Hated clutter, prototypes, half made messes, anything to do with that. She couldn't stand it. John wouldn't be held back though, not anymore. That accident had been the catalyst that his life needed. He was finally awake. It was just a shame his wife couldn't have woken up with him.

John went over to the table near the door and checked his hair in the mirror. He ran his hands over the long strands, slicked back and proper. Then he fixed his black tie, buttoned his suit jacket and grabbed the keys from the broken and glued back together bowl.

The drive wasn't far to the diner and when he entered the checker tiled and vinyl covered establishment, he saw his friend instantly. Rory Williams was a good mate. One John had had since university. He'd been the best man at Rory's wedding. John smiled and waved at the blonde who stood and shook his hand. He'd picked their usual booth, the one that was far from the jukebox, but still maintained a healthy distance from the kitchen doors.

"Mornin' John." Rory greeted with a smile.

John greeted him back as he unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down across from his friend. He glanced around the establishment then raised a brow at Rory. "K not joining us then?" John picked up a napkin and laid it across his knee then set about fixing a tea, which he was happy to see Rory had been astute enough to order already.

Rory took a sip from his own tea. "Nah, don't really think so. I had dinner with him last night and he said something about going for a scotch later." John and Rory both raised an eyebrow at each other. They knew what that meant. K was nothing if not a ladies man. Rory rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I really wish he'd just settle down."

John snorted. "Because that went so well last time?" They both made a face. K and John had grown up together, went to school together. They'd been best friends for what felt like a century, and when they'd met Rory the man had simply fallen into place with them. The three had become near inseparable since.

Rory studied his friend. "You look tired." Concern laced his voice.

John rolled his eyes. Rory always thought that John was a step away from breaking down over his ex. Despite John's protestations, Rory felt the other man wasn't expressing himself emotionally enough. John felt if he wanted more emotional advice he'd get married again. "I'm fine Rory. I was simply up late working on a project."

Rory's brows furrowed. "The screwdriver."

John rolled his eyes again. Blimey, the man was a doctor and yet he couldn't get the most basic things. "It's a _sonic_ screwdriver. And no. Something new, actually."

"Another? Don't you think you should finish a project before you start another?"

John gave Rory a look that had him checking for dribble on his shirt. "Really Rory, what's the point in setting my mind on one task when it can easily cover fifteen or twenty?"

Rory snorted lightly. John Smith's modesty never ceased to amaze him. He took another sip of his tea, looking past John as he did. "Looks like we do have another guest after all." John swivelled around, nearly knocking over the teapot before Rory moved it, and smiled at K. The handsome blonde smiled charmingly at the two and swaggered over to their booth. He grabbed a chair from a table, much to the shock of the family he hadn't asked, and flipped it around so the backrest was in the front. K swung his leg around the chair and straddled it. He glanced at Rory amusingly as the man apologized profusely to the family behind him. Rory turned back around and glared at K. "Honestly, do you have any manners at all?"

John flipped open the newspaper as his two friends picked up an old squabble. Rory glanced to him for support, but quickly realized that he would find none. Rory picked up his tea, resigned.

K smirked and snuck the tea out of Rory's hands. "Actually, no. I don't." He took a sip of the tea and quickly spat it back into the teacup. "My god what _is_ that?"

Rory glared at the man. "It's tea."

"With poison."

John flipped to the next page of the newspaper. "It's called milk and sugar."

K looked aghast. "It's called arsenic." He went to take John's tea but the man picked it up without even looking.

"You'll find more poison in mine." He glanced at K and took a sip of his tea. John spit it back into the cup awkwardly and hissed in a breath. "Hot." He supplied and set the tea back down. He stuck his tongue out every few seconds to cool it off.

K leaned against the back of the chair, his sleepless state finally peeking through. "Whatever happened to a good old Irish coffee?"

Rory glanced distastefully at his tea. "Suppose it went the way of the tea." He glanced at K. "Spat out by unappreciative, hungover, _ruffians_."

K bit out a short amused laugh. "_Ruffian_? Did you really just call me a _ruffian_?" Rory blushed and floundered for something to say. K grabbed John's arm, and his attention too. "Be careful Jimmy, I think Pops is goin' t'a get the belt out."

John rolled his eyes and set his paper down. "Leave him alone K."

K's eyebrows shot sky high. "Why? Something happen with the Missus? Did she finally decide to leave you for someone worth her time." K winked, indicating exactly who he thought was worth her time.

Rory leaned across the table and stuck a finger in K's face. "You leave my wife alone. Just because you couldn't keep your wife happy doesn't mean I can't keep mine."

K's face went dark. John watched his friend carefully as Rory slowly eased away, unnerved. It was moments like that that had Rory and John questioning why Lucy had left K. And by left they meant shot him and then herself. Though, she hadn't actually killed K, she'd put him in a coma and in the hospital for a good year. K smiled, his eyes were still dark, but he smiled. "Never mind. I was thinking of taking a crack at John's new secretary anyways." And just like that, all the tension dissipated from the tiny booth.

John groaned. "Leave Clara alone, K."

K pouted like a little boy. "Oh come on, John." He leaned towards his pal. "Have you _seen_ her? Clueless, sure, but beautiful."

John glowered at K. "Clara is very clever, thank you very much. She's actually quite brilliant, sharp mind. And funny. She can make a joke."

K nodded. "Yes, and she's completely smitten with you, so ask her out. Or. I. Will." Rory raised an eyebrow and looked between the two. He hadn't heard anything about this new secretary until now.

John spluttered as he tried to think of something to say. "I — well, you — No." He huffed. "I won't be coerced," he gestured with his hands in a manner that he clearly thought meant 'coerced', "into dating some woman. Especially not someone I work with. It is completely inappropriate and I just won't do it." He took a sip of his tea. This time he did not spit it back out.

K made a face. Already bored of the topic. "Are we making plans this afternoon? Or evening?"

Rory shrugged. "I'm free again. Amy's really pushing to finish her next novel. So the more time I spend out of the house and out of her way, the better. John?"

John frowned. "I would, but I Donna wanted to talk to me and god knows what that means. She could have me booked with plans for the next week and a half and I'd never know."

K smiled fondly. "Brilliant woman, Donna Noble." Rory laughed and nodded in agreement. "I'd love to see what she'd do with real power."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "She's a woman that's head of human resources. I'd say that's power enough for her wouldn't you?" K rolled his eyes but said nothing. "Really K, it's 1961, what do you expect? She's already made an amazing thing of herself."

John shrugged. "Well it's Donna. She could do anything. She's brilliant." They each smiled. "Right!" They pulled out their wallets and split the bill for tea as they got up to make their way out of the diner. "Let me know what plans you make. Hopefully I can go."

Rory nodded and held the door open for the other two. "I'll call you on my lunch." He informed K. "We'll figure it out then."

K buttoned his suit jacket and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Well I've got meetings around London all morning. Leave a note with my secretary and I'll see what I can do about getting a hold of you later." John and K shook hands with Rory then headed off to John's car.

K's eyes slid over the bright blue exterior. It wasn't dingy or cluttered, a bit like John's home. K was certain that was only because John didn't like to mix work and home. Home was his cluttered usual self, work was a much more professional side to him.

John frowned at K over the hood of the car, door open. "What's wrong?"

K glanced up at him, slightly surprised. "I — What make is your car?" "I'm sorry?" John couldn't have heard him right.

"Your car." K asked again. "What make is it? What model?"

John shook his head, flabbergasted. "I — I don't know. Never really asked, why?" K opened the car door without answering and got in. John's brows furrowed but he got in the car and headed to work.

John and K owned an Investment Company together. They'd opened it not long after graduating. K and John had both come from money and opening the company had been easy enough. John handled the more technology based investments, anything to do with inventors or science, math, anything really that K hated. K tended to deal with the art, music, and theatre. They later hired someone else to handle general investments, ones that neither of the two really wanted to deal with. The company was going strong, had been since they established it almost six years ago.

"Are you taking a company car to your meetings?" John asked K as he drove them to the building not far from the diner. They could have walked, but it was hot out on summer days like today, and K would have complained the entire time. John glanced at K, who hadn't answered him. The blonde was staring at John's car with an intense curiosity. "Are you still goin' on about my car?"

K looked up at him. "I've never seen any other like it."

John rolled his eyes. "And that's a bad thing?"

K stared at John silently, for so long that John began to shift in his seat uncomfortably. "Where did you buy it?" K finally asked.

John frowned at his friend. "Are you alright?"

K's curiosity slipped off his face in a second and he was staring out the front window. "I'm fine." John glanced over a K, and continued to do so the rest of the short drive. K ignored him and stayed silent the entire time. He refused to explain himself.

When they reached the four storey building, John parked the car in the employee section. One of K's assistants, a beautiful black haired woman was waiting for him by a company car. He walked towards her and she opened the door. He slid in, her after, and the driver drove out of the lot. John stood by his car and stared confusedly at the black car as it quickly disappeared. Not even a goodbye? John ran his hand's through his hair, smoothing it down. He shook his head, trying to get K's odd behaviour out of it. He closed the car door and locked it up. John paused, staring at the car as he tried to see what K had seen. It was a normal enough car. Make, model, colour — sure a bit vibrant but K was used to that. John shrugged and headed into the building.

The first floor was a florist shop, the second was for Smith and K Investments. John actually didn't even know what was on the third and fourth floors, he'd never really bothered to check. He took the side entrance, bypassing the florist and took the elevator up to the second floor.

Clara greeted him the second the elevator's slid open. She held out a handful of folder's and took his briefcase. "Mornin' Mr. Smith!"

John inclined his head in a form of greeting. "Miss. Oswald." He walked down the hall and further onto the floor. It was a well decorated office, with warm colours and hard wood floors. Elegant and sophisticated, K had put a lot of work into making it presentable for high end clients.

Clara walked quickly to keep up with John as he made his way to the back of the floor, near his office. "You've got two meetings today, but they were both rescheduled for later in the week."

John stopped and turned to Clara. "Who rescheduled them?" Clara looked down at the ground. The toe of her bright red heel squeaked a bit on the wood flooring. "Miss. Oswald?"

Clara sighed. "Fine. But I'm not allowed to get in trouble." John said nothing, but waited for her to explain. Clara looked around the floor and then let out in a rush, "Donna did it she said she needs to talk to you and since you always do that avoidance thing when it comes to women so it could take all day." Clara bit her lip and hurried away, not wanting to take the brunt of John's anger.

John stood where he was and considered the floor, right where Clara had been standing. He wasn't too surprised Donna had done that. She'd said she wanted to talk to him. And really, he was more surprised it had taken her so long. One year since his wife left, Donna had certainly let him move on in his own time. John straightened up and headed towards his office where he knew Donna would be waiting. Clearly, his own time was long over.

John stepped through the already open door to his office. He glanced at the sofa to the right, which held a one Donna Noble. She was tall, red haired and had a temper that could out do possibly even Rory's wife, Amy. "Good Morning Donna."

Donna smiled at him and poured a cup of tea from the set that had been placed on the glass table. "John." She never called him Mr. Smith. He wasn't sure if it was a lack of respect, or because of respect, but he didn't push it. Donna Noble was not a woman you pushed around.

John set the files that Clara had given him on his desk, noting that she had already put his briefcase there as well. He turned around and leaned against the desk, he crossed his arms and watched Donna as she poured him a cup of tea. Her hair was done up and curled, similar to what all the ladies were wearing these days. John's gaze wandered about the couch and table and quickly realized she had no papers with her or anything else to indicate their meeting involved work. John rubbed his eyes, feeling very tired all of a sudden. She could have at least pretended they were going to be productive.

"Alright, mate." Donna started after she'd poured them both some tea. "Now I'm not goin' to be subtle because I know it'd be useless and you probably wouldn't understand."

John groaned. "Donna."

"No." She looked pointedly at him, face stern, and he instantly stopped talking. "It's been a year, no — it's been over a year. And I think it's about time that you started dating again."

John shook his head, already done with the conversation. "Donna, I hardly think that is any of your business."

"You are one of my best friends John, I rather think that makes it my business." The man frowned and shoved his hand into his pockets. Then pulled them out and crossed his arms again. He changed position three more times before Donna pointed to the chair beside the couch. "Sit." She ordered. He did. She set a plate of Jammy Dodgers in front of him, which he failed to resist. She was buttering him up, he knew it. But damn him, he loved a good Jammy Dodger. "I've set you up on a date."

"Donna."

She continued as if he hadn't said a word. "You'll be meetin' her at a restaurant today for lunch."

"Donna."

She took a sip of her tea. "I already made a reservation, so you better not stand her up, yeah?" She gave him another stern look. John sighed and nodded. Donna smiled and glanced at her watch. "Great! Leave here early, pick up some flowers and don't you dare be late. The information is on your desk." With that Donna picked up her tea and headed to the door. She stopped and turned back to him, a proud smile on her face. "See? Look at that. Completely painless. Like rippin' off a band-aid." Work finished, Donna Noble went back to her office and got to work.

John slouched back in his seat, defeated. "_Painless_." He let out a humourless laugh. "Painless for who?" He pulled himself up and brought his tea to his desk as he sat down to work.

* * *

It was a little while later, almost eleven, when John heard the giggles. He tried to ignore them and focus on his work, but eventually he just couldn't stand it anymore. John got up and stormed out of his office to find K sitting on the edge of Clara's desk. He was leaning towards her, telling her some story and the petite brunette was eating it up. John rolled his eyes.

"K." He groaned. Clara jumped and blushed. K lounged back and grinned at his friend. He really was quite charming, John had to admit. K always had been. Growing up, K could get whatever he wanted, whenever. Things hadn't changed in the past few years, and John doubted they ever would. "Leave my secretary alone, for god's sake."

"Sorry John." K said sounding the least bit sorry. "But how could I resist?" He gestured to Clara who grinned at him. "Besides, what are you even still doing here? I thought you had a date." He winked and John could have killed Donna. Of course she told K. Clara glanced at her boss, a small frown in place. John caught it out of the corner of his eye. Oh no, he thought, she didn't really fancy him did she? Her hurt expression said it all.

John glared at K. He grabbed his suit jacket and wallet as he raced out of his office. K followed him to the elevator. "Now remember to pull her chair out for her. But don't let her fall to the ground. And don't stumble over your feet, or your words."

John looked sidelong at K. "I have gone on dates before, K."

K nodded. "Yes you have. And with how they usually turn out, I'm surprised you ever got married." John rolled his eyes, though he was in silent agreement with his friend. How he ever managed to catch his ex-wife was beyond him. Granted, he couldn't keep her, but that was really besides the point.

The elevator _dinged_ and the doors slid open. K clapped John on the back. "Have fun." John entered the elevator. K smiled proudly and wiped away a nonexistent tear. "They grow up so fast."

The doors were just sliding shut as John suddenly blurted out. "And stay away from my secretary!" John could hear K's laughter through the closed doors of the elevator. He ran his hands through his hair, already worried about that problem.

John shook his hands and straightened his shoulders, trying to get all those problems out of his head. He threw on his suit jacket, buttoned it, and placed his wallet in his back pocket. Flowers, Donna had said something about getting flowers. When the elevator opened, John exited the building then walked around to the front entrance of the florist shop.

It was a little rustic, with faded green wood panels and old white painted wrought iron shelves. But it was open and bright with huge windows and wonderful display cases. Just outside were large pots filled with overflowing flowers and some sort of green ivy-like plant. Inside the shop smelt gorgeous, the wrought iron shelves were covered with differing flowers and scents. There was a section for individual flowers, where one could make their own bouquet. An old wood sign hung above, illustrating the fact. There were also pre made designs, simple bouquets, large extravagant ones like the ones in front of the shop. John blinked a few times, surprised by how simple and yet stunning the place was.

The door swung shut behind him, ringing a few chimes as it did. John paused and glanced up at them. Strings tied to keys, and other metal knickknacks hung by the door. An odd wind chime, certainly, but it seemed to fit easily with the whole feel of the shop.

"Can I help you?"

John froze. He wasn't sure what it was, why he did it, but that voice. John had never thought himself deprived, until he heard that voice. That was when he realized how truly empty he felt, had always felt. Until now.

John turned slowly, his mouth slightly parted. She was beautiful. Blonde, honey coloured hair and bright hazel eyes. She smiled at him and John's entire mind was instantly drawn to those beautiful lips. "Sir?"

John jumped. "Oh! Right. Sorry. I'm here to pick up some flowers? You sell them?"

The florist grinned, amused. "Yeah, on occasion." John laughed awkwardly. He pointed at her and raised his eyebrows, continuing to laugh awkwardly. The shop worker smiled politely, nodded once. "You okay, mate?" John dropped his hands and his awkward smile. He nodded. "Righ'" she dragged the word out, not really sure if he actually was okay, "I've got some pre made arrangements this way." She nodded towards another section of the store. John nodded and gave a thumbs up. The second the blonde turned around John smacked himself on the forehead. Stupid, stupid John, he scolded himself. He took a deep breath and followed the girl further into the shop.

"So what's the special occasion?" The blonde asked when John joined her.

John glanced at her. She was wearing a below the knee flow-y white dress. She looked like an angel. "A date." John stumbled out, unable to take his eyes off of her.

She smiled brilliantly at him and he swore his heart stopped. "Anniversary?"

John blinked, confused. "Wha'? No — no, first date. Sorry, I didn't catch your name." His eyes fell on a pretty bouquet with lavender and purple and white lilacs. "Oh! Those are pretty." He picked them up and shoved them in his face, breathing the scents in deeply. He sneezed.

"Rose." She said.

John frowned and turned to her. "Roses? For a first date? I don't know, sounds a bit too romantic. Especially for a lunch date — I mean dinner is one thing, but…"

"No." She interrupted with a laugh. "My name, Rose." She stuck out her hand. "Rose Tyler." John's breath caught. He dropped the bouquet and shook her hand exuberantly. He noticed her amused glance at the fallen bouquet and gasped as he quickly picked them up. John glanced at them, looked up at Rose, then shoved them towards her. She took them and smiled up at him, her long lashes fluttering.

That's when John realized she was staring at him expectantly. "Oh! John, John Smith."

Rose's eyes widened ever so slightly. She took a deep breath. "'S nice to meet you, Mr. Smith."

"And you Mrs. Tyler."

"Just Miss."

"_Miss_. Tyler." He amended. They stared at each other for a bit, neither saying anything. He took a breath and looked at the other arrangements before him. "Maybe something more yellow?"

Rose blinked and looked at the arrangements too. John was picking up a yellow bouquet with sunflowers and little white daisies. Rose set the purple bouquet she was holding back into a green tub filled with water at the bottom. "Yellow is nice. Bit more friendly than romantic though. Something more white, or red maybe?" John glanced at the flowers, considering. Chimes sounded as the front door to the store opened up. Rose glanced towards the cash, where a customer was walking up to. "I'll just be a moment." She told John. "I'll leave you to it."

John watched her leave. He turned back to the selection of flowers. Rose Tyler. She was… something. A breath escaped him through clenched teeth. Right, he thought, flowers. Back on track, because Donna would kill him if he were late for his date. John glanced towards the cash where Rose was laughing with a customer. He suddenly realized he was fine with dating, maybe he could even… No. He was buying flowers for a date at the shop she works at. Asking her out would not be well received, at all. However… John glanced at the flowers one last time then headed to the cash.

Rose finished ringing up the customers flowers. A preordered arrangement for an anniversary. She smiled at John when he stepped up to the counter. "Picked one?"

"Yup!" He set the yellow bouquet on the counter.

She rang it into her antique cash register. "Decided to go with the yellow then?" Rose smiled at him, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

John shrugged. "I don't really see the date going all too well."

Rose frowned as he handed her a bill. "Why not?" She gave him his change and leaned against the counter.

John resisted the erg to lean in too, to close the distance between them. "It seems my mind might be preoccupied with other… things."

Rose's eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink. She handed him his flowers. "Have a nice day Mr. Smith."

John nodded at her and took the flowers. "And you Miss. Tyler." He grinned and walked out of the flower shop. A feeling of loss, one he never even realized he'd had, was suddenly gone.

* * *

K waltzed into John's office at precisely 5pm. He knocked on the door to announce his presence and plopped into a chair across the desk from John. "So, free for dinner tonight? Turns out Amy finished her novel and she's having everyone over to celebrate. I'm bringing Clara as my date." K winked at John who groaned and rubbed his hands down his face.

"You just won't let up? Will you?"

K stretched and crossed his legs. "Probably not." He leaned forward abruptly. "Speaking of dates…" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "How'd yours go, player?"

John did not look amused. "Not well." He packed away some files and got ready to go home. "I don't know what Donna was thinking setting me up with a widow who is still _clearly_ grieving." John shuddered. "It just… no." K made a face and laughed. John glared at him.

"Well that's disappointing." John didn't reply, he simply picked up his keys and shrugged on his suit jacket. "Especially since Donna and Amy are both expecting you to bring someone along."

John froze. "I'm _sorry_?" K smirked. "What? They thought I'd bring Joan after one date? Are they mad?"

K smiled and stood up. "Probably, but best not mention it to them." He patted John on the arm.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" K shrugged and headed towards the door. "And where are you going? Don't you need a ride?"

K smirked. "Clara's giving me a ride. And don't worry, I wholly intend to return the favour." He winked at his friend and left. John shook his head knowing that he really needed to do something about that, and soon.

John closed the door to his office behind him and headed out. A date. Another date. If he didn't bring _someone_, then Amy and Donna were going to eat him alive. He was just heading out to his car when the thought came to him. Crazy. He knew it was crazy, but really, what other choice did he have?

He rushed to the door of the flower shop and almost cried out he was so relieved to find it still open. He swung the door open and rushed in, the chimes above announcing his entrance.

"Sorry mate! Just closing up!" Rose called from the back of the shop.

"That's alright." John responded. "I wasn't really looking for flowers." Rose walked out from the back of the shop and came around the counter. She smiled curiously at John. "Just a particular one." He whispered to himself.

"John? What are you doing here?"

John wrung his hands nervously. "I — ah, I need your help." Rose cocked her head to the side, but said nothing. "You see, my friends are having this dinner tonight, and I need a date."

Rose raised an eyebrow and smiled amusingly. "Didn't you just have a date."

"Yeah but it didn't really go too well." He took a step forward. "I would very much appreciate it if you were — my… Date?"

Rose laughed lightly. "Tha's really sweet of you John. But I'm really jus' not datin' right now."

John dropped his head. "No, of course." He shook his head. "I was being silly." Rose stepped towards him, an apology on her lips, but John spoke first. "Another bouquet then? Maybe that'll ease the anger of my overbearing friends."

Rose smiled. "Another pre maid?"

John shook his head. "No. Something beautiful, one of a kind. Miss. Tyler, make me the most beautiful bouquet to ever leave this shop."

Rose smiled. "Call me Rose." Before he could respond, she moved towards the Make Your Own Bouquet section. Her hands moved quickly as she plucked various flowers together. When she was finished, she tied it together with a thick white ribbon. She handed it to John.

He inspected it, curious. It wasn't what he was expecting. Half bloomed soft yellow roses mixed with fully bloomed fat pink ones, filled with light blue hyacinths. Pink, yellow, and blue.

"Do you like it?" Rose asked hopefully.

John looked up at her, and couldn't help smiling at the look on her face. "Of course. I'm a little curious at the colour choice though. Bit odd." He followed her to the cash register where she rang up the purchase.

She glanced at the bouquet, smiling fondly. "Someone very special used to say I was pink and yellow. I guess it just stuck with me."

John glanced at the flowers, feeling even happier that she'd picked something personal to her. "And the blue?"

Rose's smile widened into a happy grin. "Wha's wrong with blue? Best colour in the world, blue."

John laughed. "I couldn't agree more." He finished paying for the flowers and took another long look at them. He glanced back up at Rose. "You know, you work in a flower shop. But how often does anyone ever buy _you_ flowers?" He handed the bouquet to her. "Have a good night, Rose."

With that, John turned around and headed for the door.

"John wait!" He paused and looked back to Rose. She'd moved around the counter, but was still holding those flowers. Looking down at them once more, she made her decision. "How late will we be?"

John smiled.

* * *

John glanced over at Rose once more. He couldn't really believe that he'd actually done what he did. He asked her out. Properly asked her out. And if he did say so himself, he'd been quite smooth.  
Rose had put the bouquet in the back of the shop, presumably in a vase with water, then she'd come back out and locked the store up. John quickly realized that Rose didn't have a car, so they didn't need to worry about that. He opened the door for her and waited as she slid in.

He got into the drivers side and turned on the ignition. Rose was looking at the interior of his car curiously. John glanced at her questioningly. "Nice car." Was all she said. John nodded once then headed out of the parking lot. "So you're friends?"

"Oh! Yes." He fought a nervous laugh. "I should probably prepare you."

"_Prepare_ me?" Rose laughed. "What have I gotten myself into?"

John laughed with her, though his was much more forced. He swallowed. "It's Amy and Rory's house. Amy just finished her latest novel and is having a bit of a celebratory dinner. I've known Amy and Rory since University." John sniffed. "Amy used to fancy me."

Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sure."

John glanced at her. He coughed and cleared his throat, then continued. "K will be there too. I've known him since childhood. He's bringing along Clara." At this, John rolled his eyes. "My secretary." He almost growled. Rose bit back a smile. "And then of course there's Donna. She might bring someone. I don't really know what Donna does."

Rose nodded. "Alright. Good to know."

John grimaced. "You should also know… Mainly because it'll probably be mentioned. I'm divorced… And I only just started dating again. So…"

Rose nodded again. "No problem."

John glanced at her. "What about you? What should I know about _Rose Tyler_?" John smirked, oh that sounded good. Rose must have thought so too, because she hummed and smiled softly.

"Well… Not much to know. I own the flower shop now. Was born an' raised in London. Travelled a lot when I was younger. Still do… but I'm takin' a break of sorts right now." Rose tapped a random rhythm out on her thighs as she watched the street lights past by.

John glanced at her. "Why the stop?"

Rose leaned her head against the window and sighed. "At first it was just family. Settlin' down." She looked sidelong at him. "I was married. But he passed away."

"I'm sorry."

Rose smiled wanly at him. "'S alright. I mean, I miss him. Everyday I do. But, he would've want me to live a fantastic life. Actually, I know he did. Told me 'imself." Rose nodded. "Anyways. Travelled for a bit more after that, but… I'm just — stuck, now. Yeah," she nodded, considering the word, "stuck."

John nodded. "I know what you mean. Felt a bit stuck myself for years." He grinned at her. "Woke up recently. Best thing to happen to me." Rose smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her eyes were searching, calculating. She was looking for something inside of him, and whatever it was, John desperately hoped she'd find it.

John pulled up into the drive of a quaint suburban home. He turned off the ignition and stared at the brightly lit home through the windshield. "We're here."

Rose let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Alright then." They climbed out of the car and walked up to the front door. Rose glanced at the mailbox, which read 'Williams'. Rose glanced at John who looked beyond nervous. She smiled encouragingly. "Allons-y!"

John grinned. "Geronimo!"

He knocked on the door.

The door was thrown open and a very stormy looking ginger opened it up. "You, raggedy man, are late!" The Scottish woman's eyes zeroed in on the blonde at John's side and she brightened instantly. "Hi! I'm Amy." She held out her hand and Rose shook it. She was pretty, Rose decided. Gorgeous really. The top of her hair was pulled back into victory roles, and the rest left down and curled. It was very becoming of her, especially with the vibrant lipstick that was common these days. It was pretty dressed up too, especially in comparison to Rose's loose, natural curls and scant makeup.

"Rose. Nice ta meet you." Rose smiled brightly.

Amy pursed her lips and looked between her and John. She smiled and opened the door wider to let them in. "Everyone is through the hall to the back, in the dinning room." Rose entered first and John barely made it through the door before Amy pounced on him. "Oh my god John, she is gorgeous." Amy glanced at Rose's retreating back. "Is that who Donna set you up with today?"

John sidled past Amy and whispered. "Not quite." He rushed down the hall to escape Amy's fury and her loud, "What!?"

Rose was introducing herself to everyone when John entered the dinning room. "Hi everyone!" He greeted nervously. "Sorry we're late." He rubbed the back of his neck. "This is Rose. Rose…everyone." He gestured to the table of confused guests.

Amy rushed in after him and hissed into his ear. "This is so not over, John." John winced, knowing how true that fact was. "Right!" John said loudly and clapped his hands together. He looked pleadingly to Rory.

"Dinner sound good everyone?" He asked his guests. There were some nods, some sounds of agreement, and a sadistically amused smirk from K. "Right, be right back." He headed into the kitchen with his wife.

John saw Rose go to sit down beside Donna. He moved to stop her but was too late. He winced visibly and sat down next to the head of the table, where he desperately hoped Rory was sitting. Across from him was K who was stilling smirking. He raised his glass of wine to John and sipped the drink. John glared at him. Then he noticed Rose and Donna talking and his heart nearly stopped. Why on earth had he thought this would be a good idea?

Donna laughed, her usual loud cackle and Rose smiled and took a sip of her wine. John caught her eye and gave her a questioning look. She winked at him and smiled conspiratorially.

Rory and Amy came back into the room with platters and everyone began digging in. Rory did end up sitting between John and K, thankfully. The dinner went off relatively easy. Rose had single handedly won over Donna, which John would really love to know how. They'd been sitting next to each other for only minutes and Donna was putty in her hands. John glanced at Rose. Maybe she really was an angel.

Rose looked over at him, as if she knew he was thinking about her. She leaned towards him. "I really like you friends."

John smiled. A weight lifted off his chest. He hadn't even realized how much he had hoped she would. "I'm glad." He told her honestly. "Though I'd really like to know what you told Donna to make her like you so quickly."

"Oh… Just tha' you looked like a really lonely bloke and this was a pity date." His jaw dropped, mainly because he knew Donna would eat that up. Rose laughed and smiled at him, the good one with her tongue poking out between her teeth.

John let out a breath of relief. "Don't do that to me. Scared me to death."

Rose let out a forced laugh. She raise a hand to his wrist and checked his pule. John watched her face, and he wasn't sure but he could have sworn her eyes were gold for a second. She looked up at him. "Nope! Still beating. So either you're a very lucky man, or you've got nine lives."

John grinned and inclined his head in a manner he clearly thought was flirtatious. "Nah… More like thirteen." He paused and his brows furrowed, clearly confused by what he had said. He turned back to his dinner and continued to eat. Rose watched him for a moment longer then turned back to her own meal.

Amy had been watching them from across the table, her eyes narrowed the entire time. She leaned forward on the table, resting her elbows on either side of her dinner plate. "So Rose, what do you do?"

K smirked yet again. "Yes Rose, tell us. What do you do?"

Rose smiled at Amy, hoping to warm up to the hostess. "I own a flower shop."

Donna frowned. "You mean the one in our building?" Rose nodded as she continued to eat. Donna set down her fork and knife loudly, enough to have everyone at the table jump a bit. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that John picked you up when he went ta go buy flowers for the date I set him up with?"

Clara gasped and Amy leaned toward John angrily. "_John_."

John raised his hands in self defence. "It's not like that. Honestly."

K wiped his mouth with his napkin and threw it down beside his plate. "Oh this is too good." Rory glared at him.

Rose laid a hand on John's arm. "Really," she said, "it's not like that at all. I swear." And almost just like that, everyone seemed to calm down. Or at least Donna did, which surprised everyone. Amy was still grumpy, but she backed down as well. John smiled gratefully at Rose.

Later, everyone had moved into the living room and were having tea and dessert. Rose was sitting by a small cushioned bench at the window with John. She smiled at him. "I'm glad I came tonight. I'm havin' a really great time."

John smiled sheepishly at the blonde. "I'm glad you came too."

Rose glanced at her watch. "It's gettin' rather late, though."

John glanced up at the clock and nodded. "And I did promise you back before the carriage turned into a pumpkin, didn't I?" Rose smiled. John stood and thanked Amy and Rory. "Got to get this one home." Rose apologized and thanked everyone for the lovely evening. When John shook K's hand, the man nodded towards Rose and raised his eyebrows. John frowned and looked to Rose. Understanding dawned on him and he gasped as he looked back to K. "Shush you." He scolded the man. K smirked and sat back down, completely unabashed.

John led Rose out of the house and the two quickly piled into his bright blue car. The doors closed and they both sighed. "Well…" John said.

Rose nodded and chuckled. "Yeah."

"It was rather like meeting the parents on the first date, wasn't it?" Rose turned and tried to stop the grin from spreading across her face. "Sorry 'bout that." She shrugged.

"No skin off my nose." Rose hesitated. "Though I don't doubt that Amy wouldn't mind jumping at the opportunity."

John started the car and backed out. "Yeaaah…" He coughed. "Sorry about that too. I really should have expected that reaction." Again, Rose shrugged. They drove in silence for a bit, talking about things that happened throughout the night here and there.

"So…" Rose started after a lengthly pause. "K seems… interestin'."

John winced. "Yeah, he's a bit of a… _ruffian_." Rose's brows furrowed at the word choice, but she didn't comment. "But, we grew up together, so I really can't complain. He's bailed me out of more problems then I'd like to count." John seemed to think on that statement, then added, "Most of which he originally got me into."

Rose laughed. "And where was that exactly? Where you two grew up that is?"

"Gallifrey." John said without a thought.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "And where's that exactly?"

John frowned. "Ireland, I think." Rose nodded but didn't comment. When they got close to her apartment she directed him along the roads. They stopped outside. It was a small building, within walking distance from the flower shop. "I think Clara lives in this building." John commented.

"Does she? I'll have to invite her over for tea."

John hummed in response. He looked at her. Really looked at her. With her hazel eyes that were more gold then green, and her honey coloured hair. And those lips. God he wanted to kiss her. "We should do this again." He said instead.

Rose smiled, and it lighted up the entire street. "We definitely should."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

John smiled at that. He was glad at least one date went well. And this one, he really didn't want to end. Not because he knew Amy would be calling him non-stop until he got home and answered the phone, at which point she would proceed to hound him about Rose. No — it was Rose. There was something about her, something that made him want to grab hold of her and never let her go. He'd never felt that before. Not even with his ex-wife.

"G'night John."

"Good night, Rose Tyler."

She stepped out of the car and closed the door. She didn't move, not right away. First she waited for him to leave, she watched the tail lights disappear into the night. Rose sighed. Her heart was like a physical pain in her chest. And she couldn't determine if it was a good one, or a bad one.

Good she decided. It had to be good. After all, "It's him." She whispered to herself. "It's the Doctor."

* * *

Sorry for any formatting issues, they've (hopefully) been fixed.


	2. Trapped

Chapter Two: Trapped

The light of day trickled in through the half curtained window. Streams of light stretched across the neatly made bed. It was cold and empty, not a single body had filled it that night. The plush bed had sat alone through the night, awaiting an owner that never came home, and so very rarely used it when they were. The reason being that Rose Tyler no longer slept. Not the way she used to. It had been years. Centuries really, since she had been able to close her eyes and fully relax. Let the tranquil humming of the TARDIS lull her to sleep. No — Rose Tyler did not sleep.

Rose Tyler ran.

At first she simply ran with the Doctor. Into danger, out of danger and back again. Then she found herself running after the Doctor, trying to find him across worlds. When she finally got him back, it had only been for a moment. Years, sure, but a moment in an immortal life. Now she was running after him again. Until she'd gotten trapped.

Seventeen years. She knew she hadn't aged a day in this eternal prison she found herself trapped in, but she also began to realize that no one else had either. At first it seemed like she had finally made her way into her proper universe, no Zeppelins. But she'd also time travelled, that was the first clue. And somehow she'd managed to do both these things, time travelling and crossing the void, without her vortex manipulator. Rose had made it herself and been avidly trying to use it to get back to her Doctor. Then suddenly she was in 1961 and she owned a flower shop.

Rose played it cool at first. She went along with whatever had happened, wondering if someone was playing with her. The Evil Genius theory came to mind. Maybe she was really being held by some aliens and this was all a trick. But then a year passed, almost unknowingly really. And when she reached the end of the year, it repeated.

Time loop. That was her theory for three years. In that time she did as much as she could to break the loop, figure out where it originated from, or how she could slip free. After Rose realized there was no specific event that caused the time loop, she knew that couldn't be the case.

So she began looking for an alien artifact that was causing it. Anything alien, because that would have to be the source. And alien things she did find. It was the same year over and over again, but events changed. Over the next six years, Rose found herself fighting a whole bunch of different aliens and invasions. It was never the same, despite the reoccurring year. This led Rose to believe that where ever she was, whatever was happening, it was beyond anything she'd ever seen before.

And she was the only one who could see it. Everyone else went about their routine under the guise that yes, time was still moving.

Then yesterday happened. At first she had thought John was just some bloke. But his name. Over the thousands of people she'd met in her not-quite-right-London, none had been named John Smith. Not a Smith in sight. And this one was awkward, and clumsy, and — alien. What really convinced her it was the Doctor though, was Donna. Donna Noble. And although Donna clearly was under the same guise as everyone else, it was still Donna. That meant the others at that dinner had to be some of his new companions.

Except for K.

Rose narrowed her eyes as she thought of the blonde man. Short hair, average height, good looking, but with an air of cold indifference. Rose wasn't sure who K was, but she knew the man was not like the others. He looked around himself with either a bored glaze or glaring acuteness. The same way she looked at this world. Which meant only one thing — he knew.

Rose still hadn't decided if he was one of the good guys, or one of the bad guys. Did he know because he was the cause? Or did he know because he was different, different like Rose? Well, no one was like Rose. Rose was an anomaly. Ever since Bad Wolf, she had become smarter, stronger and just a bit harder to kill. Not to mention her control over the Time Vortex swirling around inside her mind. The Doctor — her human Doctor — had taught her how to control it. And now she was on her own, and boy did she ever use it.

Rose's eyes glowed gold as a piece of the wall in front of her slid away to the side. Inside was a long bit of black and green alien technology. The green parts glowed as another part, dark blue seemed to be display alien communication. Rose glanced over the text. "How to shut it off…" She mumbled to herself. "How to shut it off…" She flipped a couple switches and watched the streaming light blue text as it made its way down that dark blue display screen. Rose sighed. At times like these, she would gladly kill someone for her sonic screwdriver.

Rose had caught on to a bit of an alien scandal recently in the form of some diet pills called Adipose. She'd instantly recognized the name to be that of the alien race of Adiposians. What they were doing birthing their infants out of fat, on a level five planet no less, was beyond her. Though, as diet plans go…

But now Mrs. Foster, as the blonde alien in charge liked to call herself, was going to pull the plug and kill millions on the Adipose diet. Rose cursed herself for not being more inconspicuous in her attempt to learn about the Adipose.

She just really didn't understand why they were harvesting on earth. They had an entire planet at their disposal. It wasn't harmed, or missing, or anything.

Rose paused and frowned at the Inducer, the alien technology before her. "Someone's playin' with it from somewhere else?" Rose fiddled with it a bit more and eventually realized that the tech ran all the way down the building to the basement. "Who'd be fiddlin' with it down there? I sent Foster on a wild goose chase, so…" Rose's eyes widened and she gasped. "Doctor!" She turned and raced out of the room in the direction of the elevator. Her finger jammed into the button and hopped in when the doors slid open. She hit the basement button and waited impatiently as the lift moved downward.

Rose had been positive that the Doctor was in the dark. How he didn't know what was going on, didn't make much sense. He had reacted to her voice though, so maybe he did know. Maybe the Doctor simply thought she was some trick, or wasn't real. Or maybe he simply thought she didn't know. The doors dinged and Rose was out of the lift before the doors were even fully open. She glanced around and paused.

Her eyes glowed gold.

Rose turned right and ran down the hall until she came to a custodians closet. That's where the bottom part of the Inducer was. She threw the door open and stepped inside. Her back hit the door and slammed it shut as someone pushed their forearm into her throat. Rose gasped and looked at the man before her with undisguised shock.

K smiled. "I knew it." He whispered. "If anyone else was going to see through this little ruse, it was going to be the Wolf." He stepped back and Rose rubbed her neck.

"Who are you? And what are you doin' here?" She eyed his slim black suit and thin black tie. They all seemed to dress the same, this man and the Doctor, and Rory. Granted, all the women seemed to dress the same too. She guessed it was just the style of the time.

K grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, got a bit bored. Figured what the hey — stop an alien invasion and be home for tea. Fancy a bit of fun, Tyler?" Rose was acutely aware of the fact that her last name had not been mentioned at dinner last night.

Her eyes glowed gold, which only widened K's grin into a full blown manic smile. "Oh, absolutely," she paused, then smiled back, "Koschei." He raised his eyebrow again, clearly intrigued.

He stepped close to her, entirely taking up the air between them. "I prefer, Master." He whispered into her ear.

Rose placed two hands on his chest and pushed him back. "Yeah, tha's never gonna happen." With that she walked past him and up to the bottom piece of the alien technology in the open wall. "'s called the Inducer. Least, tha's what Foster called it. It runs up, straight through the buildin'."

K eyed her behind in her tight black business skirt as she leaned down to look at the Inducer. He nodded appreciatively at the view then walked up beside her and looked at the alien technology. "Why are they harvesting on earth?" He asked her. He knew the answer, but he wanted to see how much she knew first.

Rose shook her head. "I've been tryin' to figure that part out. It doesn' make much sense. They have their own planet for tha'. They don't need ours — wait." Rose stepped back and read over the alien text. She shook her head. "Damn. Foster's back in her office, she's turned the Inducer on."

K raised his eyebrows at that, as he too read the text. "She's going to turn all the people in the program to fat? A few million?" He nodded his head in the same manner he had done when ogling Rose's behind. "Wish I'd thought of it."

Rose stared at him aghast. "Tha's not funny!"

K shurgged. "Wasn't trying to be." Rose glared at him and he sighed. "Fine. Hand me those wires." She pulled out the wires he'd gestured to and the two quickly began working on rerouting the power through the Inducer so that Foster lost control and they could shut it off, thus, saving the few millions being turned into Adipose offspring.

"This would be so much easier with a sonic." Rose grumbled as she tried to wind two wires together without killing herself from electric shock.

K glanced up at the text on the display screen. He frowned. "Foster'll be sending down some goons soon." He pulled to wires together. Electricity crackled between them for a short minute before K let them go and went back to the other task. "That'll slow them down, don't you think?"

Rose frowned at him. "Who _are_ you?" Instead of answering, he simply winked and went back to the Inducer and his wires. Rose glared at the machine. "This is pointless, we need a primary signal of some kind."

K's brows drew together. "To turn the fat back into fat?" Rose nodded as she sat back on her heels. He drew something from his pocket. It was one of the pendants that Adipose Industries had been giving out to their clients.

Rose gasped. "Oh you are brilliant you are." K smiled smugly as she snatched the necklace and popped off the top. She uncurled the wires, at which point K took it back and hooked it up to the Inducer. "Oh this is good, this'll work. We just need to get to her before she puts it…" The machine made a sound and Rose groaned. "To double strength."

K shook his head and raised his hands. "I've only got one pendant. You?"

Rose shook her head. She paused and cocked her head to the side a bit as an idea occurred to her. "Although… we do just need to strengthen the primary signal so in theory…" She raised her hand to the Inducer, placing the small gold pendant right beneath her palm. She glanced at K. "You migh' want to step back." He did. "Bit further." He didn't move. Rose shrugged and looked back to the Inducer. "Your funeral."

Rose's eyes glowed gold and she sent a swirling shot of the vortex through her body and straight into the pendant. It shorted it out, but not before hacking into the Inducer and changing the protocols. The fat was fat again. Sparks flew as the vortex continued for a short moment to flow through Rose and into the machine. Gold light erupted in the room and Rose was thrown backward with the force of the backlash of power from the vortex.

K fell back as Rose hit him. He wrapped his arms around her and groaned as his head hit the concrete floor. He gave it a moment before slowly pulling himself up. He looked down at the little blonde woman in his arms. The Doctor's companion. Rose Tyler — the woman who swallowed Time itself. She was dead.

He gently placed her down beside him on the ground and stood up. K stared down at the woman and rubbed the back of his neck. If the Doctor ever remembered himself, he was going to kill him for letting this happen. K frowned at that. Why did he care? It's not like he and the Doctor had been friends in… centuries. Of course, the two had been friends in this little world they were trapped in. Koschei had been play acting the Doctor's best friend for so long, he had to question if he was still even playacting.

Rose gasped and sat up. Her eyes glowed with the energy of the time vortex.

K smiled. "Oh, good, you're up." Rose rolled her eyes but took his offered hand and stood up next to him. K looked around the small closet disinterestedly. "Guess we better go get Foster."

"She's probably with the Adipose, 'bout to run off back to their home world." An alien voice filtered in through the Inducer. Instruction from the home planet. Rose and K's eyes widened. "Or not. We better hurry." They left the closet and raced up to the rooftop where they saw bright beams of light raising up little Adipose children into the sky. The parents were taking their children home.

Rose caught sight of Foster instantly. "Foster! Stop! You can't leave, they're gonna kill you!"

Foster gave Rose a snide look. "Please. Why would they kill me? They'll thank me! I've brought them their children!" She smiled, pleased with herself and raised her hands to the nursery ship above her.

K rolled her eyes. "Yeah, they got the little rug-rats, so who says they need you? Orders from the home world. They're going to kill you. It's illegal to breed here, you know it, they know it. You're a loose end, and you know when happens to them."

Rose leaned over the edge of the building and stretched her hand out to Foster. "Please! Try to shift the beam! We won't turn you in!"

"As if I'd ever believe you." Foster scoffed. It was at that moment that the light beam holding her aloft suddenly cut off. Foster looked down, back up, then promptly plummeted to the earth.

"NO!" Rose flung herself forward, to do what she didn't really know. But K grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. She pushed away from him and glared.

He stuck a finger in her face. "You aren't allowed to die," K straightened his suit and grumbled, "the Doctor would have my head."

Rose bit her lip as she stared at K, all her anger instantly dissipated at the mention of the Doctor. "So it was him, wasn't it?"

K stuffed his hands into his pockets and considered the blonde before him. He thought back to when he'd ruled earth for a year. He'd tried to figure a way to get to Rose Tyler in the other universe a number of times. To enslave and torture her, sure, but he had never been able to manage it. It had frustrated him to no end, and vaguely he wondered how bad it must have been for the Doctor, not being able to reach this special little woman. She had been special to him, hadn't she?

"I'm almost positive." Something very akin to hope lighted up in Rose's eyes. K glared at her with undisguised disgust. "I've never seen this regeneration before though, so I can't be sure." K glanced out at the bustling city. The sun shone brightly in the east, it was still relatively morning. "But the history in his head that's been fabricated is to close to reality for it to be a coincidence."

Rose cocked her head to the side, a habit K quickly noted that she made when she figured something out. "John said you two knew each other since childhood. You're a Time Lord?"

K rubbed his mouth and walked towards the door that led to a stairwell and back down to the top floor of the building. Rose followed. He should have known the Doctor would have mentioned something like that. "Yes." K finally said. He didn't miss the look of surprise and rabid curiosity that crossed her face.

He wasn't going to tell her the truth. The truth that he'd been born a Time Lord and died one. Then when his little cult had brought him back, with the lovely help of Lucy, he'd been something else entirely. Now he was stuck in this stupid little world with the Doctor and his friends and he had no clue what he was anymore. No double heartbeat. No Time Sense. But also a lack of need for sleep and food. In some aspects he was still a Time Lord and that was what was driving him insane. At least it wasn't the drums anymore.

That was the biggest clue, one he couldn't for the life of him, figure out. The drums were gone. Whoever had put them there had taken them out and restored to him some form of natural life. It was a huge clue. He just didn't know what it meant.

Rose gasped and K turned around to see a look of recognition in her eyes now. They stared at each other in the cramped stairwell for a full minute before Rose said, "Master. Tha's what you told me to call you. _The_ _Master_. You're the Master."

K raised an eyebrow at her then turned and continued down the stairs. Rose followed. He was confused, to say the least. He'd met up with the Doctor after Rose had left and he really doubted the Doctor would have said anything about him before anyways. "He mentioned me?" He tried to keep his own rabid curiosity out of his voice. From the grin Rose gave him, tongue poking out of her teeth, he knew he'd failed.

"Oh… you know. Jus' a bit, here and there." She smiled to herself. Then glanced at the back of his head. "You're supposed to be dead."

K threw open the door at the bottom of the stairs and Rose slipped through before it slammed shut again. He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Yes well… you're a bit behind. Aren't you?" Rose raised her eyebrows at that comment. They made their way to the lift and headed down to the main floor.

Rose glanced at him. He stood stiff, arms crossed and the beginnings of a stormy look on his face. "So how'd you come back then?"

He glared at her. "None of your business." His tone was clipped. Rose tried desperately not to smile. She wasn't sure if she succeeded. The doors dinged and opened. The two stepped out and looked around. "How long have you been here?" K asked her, still wanting to see how much she knew about what was happening.

They headed towards the doors and out into the sunlight. "About seventeen years now. And it's still 1961." She smiled mischievously at K. "Bit odd, that."

He nodded and guided her towards a black car limo. A woman stood ready and opened the door for him. He thanked her and shooed her to the front with the driver. Then K gestured towards the limo and waited as Rose slid in. He got in after her and informed the driver to take them back to the office. A partition raised between them after that, and Rose and K were alone in the back of the limo.

Rose would be lying if she said she wasn't the least bit nervous. Her human Doctor had told her all about the Master, the things he'd done. He wasn't a good man. But the Doctor had also told her about them growing up and the drums. And Rose also couldn't help but feel that it wasn't his fault that he wasn't a good man. Fate had conspired against him.

"So," K started, bringing Rose from her own private musings, "Adipose already has a nursing planet, but they used ours instead. Why?" Rose shook her head. She didn't know. "Oh come on, you can do better then that." K rolled his eyes. "It's because that's how it happened before."

"Before?"

"Yes. All these little alien incidents and problems. They've happened before. Either in my mind, yours, the Doctors, or whichever else's companions that is also locked in this world."

Rose shook her head, not following. "But why? And how?"

K frowned as he looked out the window. "I'm not entirely sure. It may be a clue, like someone wants us to figure this out. Or more likely, it's an unintended result of our unease. Subconsciously the others know something is wrong, so they're thinking of aliens, thinking that's what's drawn us here."

Rose nodded. "And thinkin' it, brings it?"

K nodded his head back and forth as he thought. "It's a theory in progress." He glanced at Rose. "He told you about me?"

Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "None of your business." She parroted at him. K rolled his eyes and looked back to the window to hide his grin. Oh Rose Tyler indeed! He was beyond glad that she'd shown up. And with such enticing secrets. He vaguely wondered if it was his birthday. No, he thought, they'd saved those millions who were going to die. It couldn't be his birthday.

They arrived at the office building then. K held the door open for Rose as she crawled out of the sleek car. The door slammed shut and the driver drove off to park elsewhere. The two beings of Time stood awkwardly in the parking lot for a full minute before either of them thought to spoke.

"I should go open the shop." Rose nodded towards the front doors of the flower shop.

"Yeah," K agreed, "and I should probably get to work." They both glanced at the side door that lead to a back elevator. He turned to Rose but she was already walking towards her shop. He headed up to his office.

The second the doors to the elevator opened, K knew he'd made a mistake. It was far to early for him to be at the office. At least it was too early for his character, the Doctor — or rather, John — would notice it instantly.

K tried to be as inconspicuous as possible on his way to his office. He would have made it too, if a flaming head of ginger hair hadn't thrown him off. It wasn't the hair that threw him off, it was who it belonged to.

"Amy?" Amelia Pond swung around at the sound of her name. Her olive green eyes zeroed in on K instantly. Her hair was up in it's usual victory rolls, bright lipstick and thick eyeliner. K smiled at her, taking in her tall, slim form. She really was too good for Rory. How the idiot had ever managed to land her was beyond him.

"K!" Amy glided over in her black heels and hugged him tightly. She was wearing a tight skirt, high waisted and not unlike what Rose had also been wearing. She'd coupled it with a short sleeve shirt and big think belt around her tiny waist. Not for the first time, K wondered what Amy usually dressed like, out in the real world.

K frowned at her. "Amy what are you doing here?" He looked around for Rory.

Amy smacked his arm lightly. "I could be asking you the same thing. Shouldn't you be at the diner with my husband?"

"I had an early meeting." K answered distractedly. He looked around the office. Very few were there, most employees would only start showing up in another hour or so. John hadn't arrived yet, probably because he was still at the diner with Rory. He checked his watch. Damn, he needed to move fast. John would be there any minute. He glanced back up at Amy, curious. "You didn't answer my question."

Amy crossed her arms and glanced around the office. She was clearly trying to keep the pout off her face. "I tried to get a hold of John at his apartment after dinner last night. He didn't answer."

K raised an eyebrow and laughed. John spent the night with Rose? Clearly they were closer friends then he thought.

Amy smacked him again, this time harder. K clenched his teeth and shoved his hands in his pockets. Stupid little… he thought, I'm a bloody Time Lo — I'm the _Master_. He thought of kicking puppies and killing Jack Harkness. That calmed him down a bit. "It's not funny K." K rolled his eyes. "He can't just get back into the dating swing and start sleeping with random flower shop girls."

Again, K rolled his eyes. "It's the sixties, Amelia. Give the man a break." Amy glared at him. "What? You want me to condemn my best friend for moving on from that French piece of fluff he called a wife? No. Sorry, not happening. Rose is a nice…" Alien — anomaly — Time Goddess. "…girl."

Amy huffed, not convinced. "Yeah, sure. But what do we really know about her?"

K shook his head. "I'm not dealing with this right now."

"K?" K groaned inwardly at the sound of John's confused call. Damn it, Amy. He turned and nodded in greeting to the floppy haired man. John caught sight of the stormy looking Amy and paused. "Amy?" He cautiously made his way toward K and the redhead. "What — shouldn't you be at home?"

Amy crossed her arms and glared daggers at the man. "Why? So you can continue to ignore my calls? Fat chance, Raggedy Man." K sighed inaudibly. Here he was thinking that Amy was here because maybe, just maybe, she'd remembered something. Nope. She just wanted to hound the Doctor.

K clapped his friend on the back. "Good luck, you're going to need it." He turned and headed towards his office. Even with the door closed, he could hear Amy's muffled ranting. He paused by his chair, maybe he should have helped John out. He sat down and rested his feet on the desk, ankles crossed. Not his problem.

He picked up a baseball from a small pedestal on his desk and tossed it in the air. He caught it and tossed it back up again.

Rose Tyler, K thought. In the seventeen years that she'd been here, they'd never gone down to the flower shop. Not once. It was a miracle they hadn't seen her before, or met by chance. Especially when he thought about all the alien invasions he'd thwarted in his boredom. Never before had he seen Rose Tyler.

There was clearly something to her history that he was missing. He just didn't see how. He'd processed all the data on the TARDIS when he'd had it for that year and a bit. He knew all about her and the Doctor. Everything down to the kiss at Platform One to the bitter end with the Daleks and Cybermen. Daleks. The Master growled. Of all the things to survive the Time War. It had to be the _Daleks_.

He shook his head, not wanting to have to think of those moments just now. The dark abyss that was his memory of the Time War. He'd been sucked back into it with Rassilon, and despite himself he couldn't remember a thing.

Maybe this was Rassilon's doing. A punishment to the Doctor and his companions for his interfering in the Final Sanction. That would account for why K was there as well. He'd also interfered, he was also punishable. No — Rassilon didn't have that sort of power. But so many who did had been lost to Time long ago.

K's mind was running in circles. He needed a distraction. He picked up his phone and flipped open a few files. Probably the only good thing about owning a stupid investment company with the Doctor was the distraction. It gave him enough brainless tasks to do that he lost himself in them and before he knew it —

John knocked on the door and let himself in. "Home time." K glanced up at him and nodded. He stood and left behind the mess of work he was in the middle of. John glanced at it and shook his head. "I don't know how you can do that. Knowing that mess was there would drive me nuts."

K glanced at it and shrugged. "Beats having to clean it up and put it all back in the morning. Might as well leave it."

John, though clearly not agreeing, shrugged as well. They headed towards the lift. "Dinner?" He asked his friend. K glanced at him, a slight frown in place. It eased out into a charming grin.

"Actually I had a very special scotch in mind."

John glared. "Leave my secretary alone."

K laughed. "Nah, think I've got myself something else to keep my interest for a while." The frown returned. "Question?" John hummed and nodded his head. "How did you meet Clara." John raised an eyebrow at K, not impressed. "Humour me." The elevator dinged and they quickly exited the building.

John sighed and grumbled something that K didn't catch. "I didn't actually meet Clara at first. Her sister. Then her other sister." Now K was the one who didn't look impressed. John laughed. "I'm serious! She's one of a number of identical sisters. Poor mother. I met Clara a little after I met her sister, who I hadn't realized I met." John frowned and looked to K. "It's all a bit complicated actually. But eventually I found Clara. We became friends, as you well know, and I asked her to work with us." They headed towards John's car.

K nodded. So The Doctor had met another version of Clara, then another, and eventually this one… He raised his eyebrows. That would certainly hold the Doctor's interest for a bit, he was sure. No wonder he picked her up as a companion.

"Why the sudden interest? You've never really shown interest in the background history of an employee before." John was staring at K curiously again. K shrugged it off, still lost in thought.

"Just wondering." He smiled suddenly, a sadistic smirk that John didn't care for in the slightest. "How'd the talk go with Amy?"

John froze in the middle of the parking lot and rounded on K. "Not well, as you know." He pointed a finger at K. "And you're a right arse for leaving me there to deal with it on my own."

K laughed, unperturbed. "It's you're own fault for sleeping with a girl you've known for one day."

"I didn't sleep with her!"

Silence.

K looked around the parking lot then back at John. "Well now that the whole of London knows, why don't you tell me what did happen."

John glared at him and walked towards his car. He stopped and walked back to K. "I dropped her off at home alright. We said goodnight, she got out of the car, I drove away." He paused, then fished his keys out of pocket. "Did you know, she lives in the same apartment building as Clara."

They walked to John's car and waited whilst John unlocked it. K looked around at the sky as the sun descended from the heavens. It was nice out, a cool breeze. He turned to John. "I'll walk home today John, thanks." He began to move away.

"Hold on!" K turned back to John. "You never walk home."

K smirked. "I told you. I'm going to have a scotch." He chuckled as he sauntered off into the sunset.

* * *

Rose glanced at the door to her apartment. Seventeen years and not one visitor. She waited a moment, thinking it was all in her head. A full minute passed and by that point she had convinced herself several times that it had in fact, all been in her imagination.

Someone knocked on the door again.

Rose set down her wine glass and walked to the front door. She opened it up and stared at K.

"You going to let me in?"

Rose shook the shock away and stepped aside as he waltzed in. "What are you doing here? No, scratch that, how did you even find me?"

K wandered about the apartment as Rose locked the front door and headed back to the open kitchen. It looked over a small kitchen table which separated the space between eating area and the living room. K stood in the living room with his back to the windows. Behind the couch were double french doors that opened up to the bedroom. He smirked at the white, untouched bed. "Nice bed." Rose glared at him and closed the doors. She stood before them with her arms crossed and her hip cocked.

K took a moment to see she'd changed from her business attire. Something he belatedly realized she'd probably only been wearing as undercover for the Adipose. She was back in a soft coloured cream dress, similar to the one she wore last night. Her feet bore flats and her face was free of the vibrant makeup of the time, her hair loose and curly.

"John told me." K finally explained. "I thought we should discuss the current predicament we seem to have found ourselves in, yes?"

Rose nodded once and headed back into the kitchen. K followed her and took a seat on a stool by the counter. Rose pulled out a large wine glass. "Red?" K glanced at the bottle she held out and he nodded. She poured him a glass and topped up her own. That done, she leaned against the counter and twirled the stem of her glass between her fingers. "So where do we start?"

K leaned back and threw one of his arms over the back of the stool. He smelt the wine in the glass, swished it around, then took a sip. "Who do you think will wake up next?"

Rose frowned and took a sip of her own wine. "What makes you think they will? You entered this place knowing it was wrong, so did I."

K nodded. "Yes, but you're some sort of…" He wiggled his fingers at her. Rose raised an eyebrow and smiled amusingly at him. "…thing." He finished with a frown. "And I'm a Time Lord."

Rose rolled her eyes. She wasn't even with the Doctor and she still had to listen to someone rant about superior Time Lord biology. "Yeah, bu' so is the Doctor, and he's completely clueless."

K stared at her, glass halfway to his mouth. "Oppose to when?"

Rose laughed. "You have me there… Have you ever tried wakin' him up? Or any of the others for tha' matter?"

K half shrugged and nodded his head from side to side. "I've mentioned things, but they either think I'm crazy or I'm joking."

Rose nodded and continued to fiddle with her wine glass. She trailed her finger along the top rim. "What I don't get, is why doesn't Donna know. I mean, they could have turned the Doctor human with the Chameleon Arc or soemthin' similar right?" She looked to K, who nodded. He hadn't thought of the Chameleon Arc as a possibility. "But that'd never work on Donna, she's already human. Physically at least."

K shook his head, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

Rose lifted one of her shoulders in a half shrug. "Well it's jus', the Doctor Donna should be able to remember, shouldn't she?"

Now K felt utterly lost. "I'm sorry, what?"

Rose gave him a surprised look. "Oh right sorry." She smirked at him. "Forgot, you're a bit behind aren't you?" He glared at her use of his earlier comment. She stood up, but continued to lean her hips against the counter. "Instantaneous biological meta-crisis. The Doctor got shot by a Dalek, used his regeneration energy to heal himself then syphoned the rest off into an old hand. Yeah, don't ask.

"Anyways, Donna touched it and created a half human, half Time Lord Doctor. Meanwhile, Donna got part of the Doctor's mind as well. She became the Doctor Donna."

K took a moment to absorb that. He set his wine glass down as he filed through all the things he knew about Donna. "Oh… Well that explains the defences." At Rose's confused look he elaborated. "Even if Donna had been able to handle the information from the Doctor's mind, eventually it would have destroyed her. She was human, and her mind couldn't hold it. The Doctor would have gotten rid of all her memories, so that she'd never remember the knowledge and subsequently, die. When I came back… I had a bit of fun." Rose narrowed her eyes at him. He smiled broadly back. "Anyways, Donna wasn't effected, the Doctor said he left defences in her mind, that would probably be why, I'm assuming."

"So Donna will probably be the las' person to figure out wha's happenin'."

K watched Rose as she continued to mull over the problem. "That was after you left." She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow in question. "Donna travelled with the Doctor after you left. How do you know what happened to her?"

It was Rose's turn to smile broadly. "I came back."

K was silent for a moment as he digested that. "Then why haven't you been travelling with him?"

Rose bristled at his comment. "Well where have you been."

He leaned forward and crossed his arms on the counter top. "I was stuck in the Time War. No changing the topic, where did you go? What? You finally leave your precious Doctor?" He practically spat the ending at her.

Rose's eyes narrowed dangerously at his tone. "He gave me an offer, and I took it." K raised his eyebrows and waited patiently. After a minute Rose sighed and brushed her hair behind her ear. The fight left her and she took another sip of her wine. "I went back to the other universe with my mum and the human Doctor. He offered me his forever." K was too stunned to make a sarcastic comment. His forever, what the hell did that mean? Rose stared down at the red of the wine as she spoke, her voice soft and her gaze distant. "It wasn' 'til years later we noticed I hadn't aged." She shrugged. "By that point we'd already started a family, and we really didn' care either way. We were gonna live our lives as happily as we could. No complaints."

K stared at Rose like she was some crazy, complex puzzle he'd never be able to figure out. In the back of his mind, he felt the comparison was more correct then he cared to admit. He simply couldn't wrap his mind around it. The Doctor had loved, after all these years, he'd really gone and done it. His eyes on Rose now were different then they were before. K couldn't figure out if this was a good thing, or a bad thing.

"Have you met any of the others?" Rose asked him. Bringing him from his musings. He gave her a dark look and she rolled her eyes, ignoring it. "Amy, Rory and Clara. Have you met them before? Do you know which one would be easiest to make remember?"

K shook his head. "No, but I imagine you could quickly figure it out." He gave her a challenging look. Rose pursed her lips as she considered it. "Of course," K went on, "it'd be infinitely easier if we could wake the Doctor up. But I doubt we could do that with just the two of us, or even with just some words. He'll probably need some physical evidence…" He rubbed his chin. "Or maybe if we brought his Time Lord psyche back from the—"

"Any of them." K looked up at Rose and saw the golden glow of her eyes recede quickly. She looked to K. "Amy, Rory or Clara, take your pick. Any of them will be able to quickly understand wha's happenin'."

K straightened up at that. "What? How? How could they all be able to—"

"I donno know!" Rose snapped at him. "'S not easy, yeah? I jus' get bits a pieces from the vortex. Nothing that really ever makes sense. All I know is that each of them have gone through one thing or another to allow them to hold a number of different sets of memories like this. They've done it before. Like livin' two lives…" Rose picked her wine back up and took a gulp. "So who do you wan'ta pick?"

K tapped his fingers on the counter. He quickly stopped when he realized the beat he'd been tapping out. He frowned down at his offending hand. "Not Amy. She'll either demand we wake up Rory immediately, or she'll go stomping around making a lot of noise trying to wake the Doctor up, which will cause attention we don't need. And despite what John claims, I still think Clara is clueless."

Rose glared at him. "The Doctor doesn't take clueless companions. He only takes the best." K rolled his eyes at her. "That leaves Rory. But he'll probably want the same thing as Amy."

"Yes. But Rory will be easier to control."

"We're not controllin' anyone."

"You're no fun." K pouted at Rose, but she remained unmoved. "Fine. But once Rory is awake, he'll also have all his fond memories of he and I being the best of mates." He said it mockingly, but Rose smiled. Whatever Rory remembered, K would also. Despite whatever he attempted to claim, K had been playing best friend for a long time. "So he'll trust me more easily. I say Rory. I don't know how we're going to convince him of the truth…" He glanced at his wine. "We might need to get him drunk first."

Rose rolled her eyes. "How 'bout we meet at my shop tomorrow after work? You can make plans with Rory for dinner. Maybe plant the idea to Donna that she wants a girls night with Amy? That'll take care of that, and we can talk to Rory. Alrigh'?"

K nodded and took another long sip of his wine. Rose stared at him. "What?" He asked irritably.

"Aren't you going to leave now? We're sor' of figured it out." He raised an eyebrow at her and her cheeks flushed pink at her own rudeness.

"Why?" K asked, amused. "What are you going to do? Sleep?" At the look on Rose's face, he smiled. "Thought not." He picked himself up from the stool and walked around until he was at the corner of the counter, between the sink and oven. He hopped up onto the counter and smiled down at Rose. "Come on then, Rose Tyler. Impress me. What's the worst thing you've ever battled?"

Rose leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms. She smiled.

They stayed up and chatted throughout the night. Rose bragged about the monsters she faced and all the times she saved the Doctor. K laughed, harder then he had in centuries. Especially when she told him about the human Doctor's numerous blunders with domestics in the other universe.

Rose laughed to. K told her stories about him and the Doctor at the Academy, growing up on Gallifrey. The stories were good ones, much happier then the ones the Doctor had told Rose.

Eventually, Rose pulled herself off the counter where she'd been sitting for three hours, laughing and talking. She turned on the stovetop and made food for the two of them. K devoured it like a starving man. Rose laughed and called him on it, and he admitted that his regeneration couldn't cook… at all. And no, he did not blush when Rose promised to teach him a thing or two. He did however smirk, thinking in a completely different direction then she.

After they ate, K began to tell her about the disciples that had brought him back to life, and how Lucy had interfered. Rose was silent as he explained what happened with Rassilon and the Final Sanction… where the drums had originally come from.

"And they're gone now?" Rose asked quietly.

K let out a breath, somewhere between a huff and a laugh. "Yeah… I almost don't know who I am anymore."

Rose walked up to him and took his hand. They stood in the middle of a kitchen in a silent apartment in the dead of night. "You're Koschei. Tha' little boy under tha' burnt orange sky, happy and with his best friend again. And tha' is all you have to be, yeah?"

K sighed. He smiled ruefully and looked up at the Time Goddess before him. "I can see it now."

"See wha'?"

"What it is about you the Doctor loved."

A few hours later and the sun started to rise. K checked his watch. "It's four. I need to go home and change." He rubbed his face. "And shave. I'll head to the diner early, Rory is usually there first so I'll talk to him then."

Rose walked him to the door. She opened it up and leaned against the door jam as he threw his jacket back on in the hall. "I'll see you after work then, cupcake." She mocked with an amused smile.

K smirked. "Have dinner ready will you, sweet-cheeks." He leaned towards her and groped her behind.

Rose's eyes widened and she smacked his chest. "Koschei." She hissed at him.

He laughed all the way down the hall.

* * *

Sorry for any formatting problems, they're attempting to be fixed.


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